Ep 588 – Beyond the Tissue: Trauma-Informed Care with Angie Parris

Trauma can show up on the massage table in ways practitioners may not expect. In this episode of The ABMP Podcast, Angie Parris is joined by Upledger Institute instructors Catherine Whelan, Eric Moya, and Natalie Bledstein to explore what it means to be trauma-informed and how that differs from providing trauma-specific care.

They discuss recognizing when a client may be moving outside their window of tolerance, the importance of consent and communication, and practical ways to help clients stay present and grounded during a session.

Guests:

Eric Moya began his career as a massage therapist in 1997 and quickly moved into studying the osteopathic family of therapies including CranioSacral Therapy, lymphatic drainage, and visceral manipulation. With an interest in the body, mind, spirit connection, Eric began formal mental health training with a masters in mental health in 2007. Eric is also a senior instructor for the Upledger Institute over the past 27 years. During that time, Eric has contributed original coursework in the curriculum in addition to teaching core curriculum courses. Within the past 20 years, Eric has completed additional training in mindfulness, meditation, working with trauma, and has developed his own curriculum integrating body, mind, and spirit in clinical practice. Currently, Eric is working on a Ph.D in clinical psychology with an emphasis on psychoanalytic/psychodynamic approaches to therapy and qualitative research methods.

Natalie Bledstein, OTR/L, CST-D, SEP, has been an Occupational Therapist for over 30 years. Natalie has in-depth experience in Sensory Integration and CranioSacral Therapy.  She currently teaches CS1, SER1, and SER2 for the Upledger Institute.  Natalie's interest in trauma recovery led her to seek professional mentorship as part of completing the three-year Somatic Experiencing Practitioner certification.

Catherine Whelan is an Upledger CranioSacral Therapist and CranioSacral Therapy instructor with more than two decades of experience in the wellness field. Catherine's foundational background with a degree in kinesiology, personal training, and bodywork shapes her individual practice. For the past 5 years, she has been working collaboratively with other practitioners, including trauma therapists, to create a more community-based approach to wellness.

Resources:

Website: https://shop.iahe.com/Workshops/Upledger-Institute-International-Online-Learning-Programs-and-Workshops/Trauma-Conversation

Host:

Angie Parris is a licensed massage therapist and is the advertising director for ABMP. She is Chopra Center Certified in meditation and ayurvedic lifestyle. Her training explores physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health. Angie is also the founder of the nonprofit, Project Inti, an organization that provides aid to low-income Peruvian families and communities. For more information, visit www.projectinti.org.

Sponsors:

Upledger CranioSacral Therapy addresses deep restrictions, supports neurological and fascial systems, and enhances whole-body function—by working with the body's natural healing processes.